Allardyce is looking to shake up the squad at the Stadium of Light and is also looking for a striker with interest in Jermain Defoe - on £80,000-a-week - and Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham running down their deals.

Mirror Sport revealed last week that Allardyce was threatening to quit if he felt he could not keep the club in the Premier League.

Allardyce is looking for a busy January window to try and make the reinforcements that he feels he needs to survive.